Another prompted oneshot, this time a Sollux/Aradia!

Set before canon, and the prompt was something along the lines of 'Sollux and Aradia cuddle the night before the fatal FLARP campaign'. It's a bit sad at the end. Just a warning.

Anyway, enjoy!


'Sollux?'

You turn at the sound of your name. Aradia is sitting up in 'coon, looking sleepily confused. You manage a rather feeble half-smile before turning back to the window. It's very early in the evening, but the moons are already out, both full, surrounded by glittering stars. You like it out here, in Aradia's hive, where there are no lights to block out the sky and no factory fumes to smother it.

'Can't you sleep?' she continues. You shake your head. This visit unfortunately coincided with one of your lower swings, involving horrible, steady insomnia for days on end. Normally you'd be at your husktop, spending your time doing something productive, but your can't do that in Aradia's hive. That and the stars help to calm you and don't strain your eyes like a screen does.

You hear shuffling behind you and before you can protest, Aradia is out of the recupracoon and has wrapped her warm, soft (and somewhat slimy) arms tenderly around you.

'The thtars are nithe,' you mumble, feeling a little awkward. This is the first time you've actually spent the day with her, in her hive, sharing a 'coon. The two of you may be close, but you're still both pretty young to be in a serious relationship. And yet you are.

'Maybe onenight we can reach them,' she breaths, lips right next to your ear.

'Yeah,' you scoff, 'when I'm thtuck in a mental bokth powering the goddamn thhip.' Then you bite your tongue because you hadn't meant to say anything like that tonight is supposed to be a happy thing but that's your mood swings for you. When the voices get like this there isn't much you can do...

Aradia's arms tighten around you, strong and yearning, and she whispers fiercely, 'I won't let that happen!' You keep biting your tongue, choosing not to mention her caste and your caste and how there's nothing two people like you can do, how it's your fucking unavoidable fate to get made into a fucking troll-battery for some asshole's ship, and how the only way you'll reach the stars is if you're taking someone else to them.

And how the only way Aradia will be with you is if she's a slave on the same vessel but no, shut up Sollux, shut up! Don't think about that. You have sweeps left with her and you and better enjoy every single fucking moment.

You twist your head round a kiss her shyly on the lips. She giggles softly and returns it, before you both turn your heads back to look at the stars. You reach up and touch her hands, clasped tightly against your chest, and she released them and threads her fingers through your own.

And for that moment everything is perfect. Aradia practically glows with a beauty so brilliant that it puts the stars to shame, and she's warm and comforting against your back and you know that you never want this moment to end.

And then you ruin it by yawning.

She kisses you lightly on the cheek. 'C'mon,' she murmurs, 'back to 'coon.' You let her steer you, because you suddenly realize how tired you are. That horrible bundle of stress inside you has unravelled, finally allowing you to sleep. So in her arms, you do.

You know she has a FLARP campaign in a few nights time and needs to rest. You don't want her to play because it's so, so dangerous and one of these nights someone will cause something to happen, and you can bet it'll be Vriska's fault, and Aradia will be hurt. Or worse.

But you put it out of your mind because you want to sleep and sleep is good, and everything is perfect when you're with her so you refuse to ruin it by thinking such stupid, negative thoughts.

She'll be fine.

In retrospect, you probably should've listened to the voices that day.